Savage Branch Library renovations begin

Howard County libraries will be closed Monday, Oct. 14 to observe Columbus Day. Meanwhile, renovation work on the Savage branch of the Howard County Library System, shuttered since earlier this year, is beginning.

"Our library system is a key part of world-class educational opportunities in Howard County, and Savage deserves the best," County Executive Ken Ulman said in a statement. "We should all be proud that the library system was just ranked No. 1 in North America, and I can't wait for the Savage branch to become the jewel of the system."

The renovations will expand the existing library and connect it to an adjacent former health and senior center that will be used as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education center.

The project will add meeting rooms, areas for children and teens, a cafe, group study rooms, a STEM research lab and a recording lab. Part of the interior wall of the current library will be knocked down to improve flow, and daytime lighting will be increased.

The public restrooms adjacent to the lobby will also be converted to meet ADA accessibility requirements, and the library's porch will be sealed with glass to enlarge the entrance lobby.

The renovations cost $5.3 million, and are set to be complete by July 2014.

The county opened an express library site in the Lincoln Free Retail Center at 8851 Gorman Road, Suite 102, in Laurel to serve Savage customers during the renovations.